Five winners of the Open Doors Olympiad have been accepted into the School of Advanced Engineering Studies Agrobiotech at Tomsk State University for a master's program in bioinformatics. Over the next two years, students from Pakistan and Nigeria will learn how to analyze quantitative data, program, and become experts in deciphering biological processes using computational tools.
In 2023, TSU's Agrobiotech launched an English-language Master of Science in Bioinformatics program. This program is led by Nawaz Muhammad Amjad, PhD in Agricultural Biotechnology and professor at TSU Agrobiotech. Amjad has published over 80 articles and book chapters on plant genomics, which have received approximately 3,000 citations.
The bioinformatics program was created in response to a shortage of experts who possess competencies in biology, mathematics, statistics, and machine learning. In 2024, two students from Nigeria and three from Pakistan, winners of the Open Doors Olympiad enrolled in the program.
Amjad gave a presentation to the new students about the work of Agrobiotech and showed them the special educational and laboratory spaces, including Bioengineering of Prokaryotes and the joint space of Agrobiotech and Art Life, Industrial Biotechnology of Natural Raw Materials.
“Before studying at TSU, I studied biochemistry at an agricultural institute in Nigeria. The main reason I participated in the Olympiad was to broaden my horizons. I have always been interested in genomics, so when I discovered the bioinformatics program, which combines molecular biology and programming, I knew it was the right path for me. I have a passion for research and hope to work in an industrial laboratory in the future,” said Ukpele Emmanuel George, a first-year student in the Master of Science in Bioinformatics program.
“I chose TSU because of its high rating and well-developed scientific laboratories. The Open Doors scholarship presents a great opportunity for me to explore my future career as a scientist,” Ali Maqsood shared his plans.
International students at Agrobiotech
Text: Agrobiotech. Photo: TSU Press Service